Silent Reunions
by LetTheChaosEnsue
Summary: He's been gone for two years, and he's finally home. He hopes his old family will accept him and his new family as they are, and that they can help him bring down the people hunting him. Slightly damaged, and very different, his two worlds come together. No pairings.


To be fair, this wasn't my idea. It was **Duly Ignored**'s idea, based off of **New Wings, Old Scars**. But they had to go and not finish their story posted almost six years ago, and my mind wouldn't let me focus, so I had to write my own ending.

**Note:** Maximum Ride Timeline is not followed and is slightly skew. In this Richard Grayson is a few months away from turning 16, and this story is set where he decides he want's to distance himself from Batman, and this is an alternate version of how that happens.

So here it is...

* * *

**-Silent Reunions**

* * *

Sharp blue eyes scanned the scene below from behind his domino mask. From this height they couldn't see him, the teammate they'd lost just over two years ago.

Honestly, he shouldn't be here, he should be waiting with the Flock. He'd see them tomorrow, but he'd heard the explosions. And were there were explosions, there was the Justice League's _covert ops_ team. Not that they were ever covert.

His team, his friends, his _family._

As far as he could tell the building was empty, and the team was scrambling to find their target objective. The whole thing smelled like a set up to him.

All teammates but one, plus two extra, were accounted for. The previous protoge's eyes became frantic as he searched for the idiot kid traffic cone. He'd seen him zipping around a few minutes before, now he was nowhere to be seen.

His searching became interrupted when a large explosion from the top of the building where the team was searching, went off. In the blast, he saw a small form flailing in the air, eyes dreading the upcoming ground.

Without a second thought, he dove off the higher building, arms pressed tight to his sides, body angled toward his friend. He saw Miss M. going as fast as she could trying to get to him, as he was no doubt mentally screaming, but she wouldn't get there in time.

His slender form raced past her, the shock causing her to pause, the hood of his jacket blown off by the wind. His body slammed against the older, knocking him out, and snapped open his 15 ½' wings angling them upward, and just barely missing the asphalt.

Silently, he landed in the shadows, away from the building and the rest of the team, in a narrow alleyway. Using his black and grey wing's to create a small dome around them. He quickly scanned his friend and finding his arm to be very obviously broken, and spilling blood.

Currently, the speedster was unconscious, so without missing a beat, the winged boy set it the bone. Kid Flash gave a sharp hiss of pain and woke from his sleep, though he was still out of it. Before he did anything else, the dark haired boy checked the compartment on his friends wrist, so appropriately named 'the cabinet' and removed the specially made energy bar, and stuffed it in the redheads mouth.

It took him a second, but he ate it and came to a more full consciousness. Kid Flash looked up at his rescuer and squinted, the boy's wings blocking most of the light.

"Who… who are you?" He asked, tilting his head.

The one with wings smiled and reached inside his jacket pocket, pulling out a roll of bandage wrap, and fabric. Pressing the smaller piece of fabric to his arm, he expertly wrapped it then used the longer piece to create a sling. The speedser's arm would be fine in a few hours, but all the more worry to make sure it heals properly.

The air shifted, and he heard the rest of his team coming, so without warning the older boy, he stood, tucked his wings back under the safety of his jacket, and pulled up his hood.

KF reeled from the newfound brightness of the night, blinking up at the full moon. Footsteps rounded the corner of the alleyway and several faces come with hostile stances. His rescuer stood calmly in front of him.

"Return our teammate, now." Aqualad said in his 'I'm the leader' voice.

The rescuer gave a small frown and held up his hands, showing them empty and not meaning to harm. Kid Flash ran in front of him to stop his team from attacking.

"Woah! Guys, he helped me. Bandaged up my arm, saved me from being a street pancake. So cool it," he turned to face the boy, who seemed to be a few inches taller, though still incredibly thin. "You good?" He asked.

He let out a small breath of relief and nodded.

"I apologize," Kaldur said. "You have my thanks, for saving our friend, as well as my teams."

The boy nodded with a smile and touched his chin, moving his hand out. Froze, then facepalmed.

"I saw you dive past me, but not much else, what's your name?" Miss. M smilled.

His frown returned and he looked at the ground, and shook his head.

One of the people he didn't recognize scoffed. Then mumbled. "Bet he set the bombs."

"No one was at this facility, except you," Red Arrow said slowly. "What were you doing?"

The dark finger held out his hands then froze, shaking his head. He held up his pinky, then his hand curled into a fist and he bit his nuckle.

The group looked at eachother, obviously communicating through Ma'gans telepathy. Kid Flash shook his head and glared at the others. Kaldur didn't look like he wanted to go along with it, and Miss. M rolled her eyes.

As the Martian stepped forward, he threw up every mental wall he could muster. He'd had practice in the past with her, and in the past year with a devious little girl.

The red head frowned, then looked back at the others. "He's blocking me out, he knew what I was doing."

Two arrows drew and were aimed at him, causing him to take a step back. In a flash, their arrows were in KF's hand, and he was glaring. "Guys, he saved my life. Get that through your heads."

"Yeah, but we have no proof he didn't set those bombs," one of the members he didn't recognize said. As she stepped forward, he took a step back

"Let's just take him in for questioning," Super boy said.

Step forward, step back.

Zatana scoffed. "Everyone is more willing to talk when they're faced with Batman," she said with a smile.

Oh what the boy wouldn't give to talk to Batman, but not like this.

"Tell us what you were doing here, or we will have no choice but to take you in." Kaldur said.

Step forward, step back.

"What do you know?" Robin asked.

Step forward, step…

Back against the wall, officially cornered, he began to panic.

Eyes darting around, he didn't have room to take off, he shouldn't have come. He told him that, she told him that. He shouldn't have come.

Kid Flash was still between him and the team. Frustrated and angry with them, the boy turned around and looked at his rescuer. Quietly whispering. "I saw those wings, they didn't, I'll give you a lift."

The boy sighed, and smiled.

The speedster turned around and looked at his team with a dangerous grin. "I already told you, to cool it." He ran into the mix of them, stole all the arrows from Artemis and Red Arrow, then one by one moved them out the mouth of the alleyway.

Once they were all out, he turned back to the mystery man of the hour and bent over. The boy ran at a faster pace than was expected, stepped onto the boy's back and pushed off as he was propelled. Snapping his wings open to fly, looking back at the group as they all yelled at the ketchup and mustard super.

"Leave him alone, I'd be dead if it weren't for him! If he causes a problem, we'll deal with it then, but for now at least let him go."

* * *

I flew back to the abandoned apartment him and the Flock had found the day before, and landed on the roof. Silently climbing in the window I'd left from.

Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, and Iggy were all asleep. A pile of limbs and wings scattered around the living room. In the corner a dark brooding teen sat, and sitting at the bar, was a not so dark, and not so broody girl. Both equally unhappy about my choice to leave, to go see if the explosions had anything to do with my old team.

"Were they there?" Fang asks.

I nod once.

"Did they see you?" Max asks, turning to face me.

'Sort of' I sign.

They both raise an unamused eyebrow at me. I roll my eyes and move my hands. 'KF got blasted off the roof, I couldn't do nothing.'

"What else?" Fang asks.

I slowly remove my domino mask and put it in my jacket pocket before signing. 'They thought I set the bombs, but KF helped me get out of there.'

"I always thought I'd like that idiot," Max said, grinning. She got up and moved to one of the couches, and plopped down. "Just… go to sleep though. Tomorrows the day," she says.

Fang nods and slumps further into his corner. "I wish you'd stay with us," he says.

'You know I want to, but I'd rather _you_ stay with _me_.'

"Dick, you know we can't. You know _very_ well why we can't."

I frown and nod, holding out my pinky then touching my fingers to the top of my head. 'I know.'

Fang sighs. "Get some sleep, it's late. I'll see you in the morning."

'Night,' I sighn. Then pick an empty spot on the floor, I pull off my jacket, and cloak, tossing them aside, and lay down on one of my wings, then wrap myself in a cocoon of my own feathers.

Gently, I stroke my wings. I love them, but the price I paid, may have been too expensive for even such a gift as they are.

* * *

It had been a mission gone wrong, the team had walked in on something they really shouldn't have. Their job was to gather intel about an organization the league had little to no information on.

The only thing the League did know, was that they were conducting illegal experimentation. They didn't know what, or who, they didn't know the why or how. The when, or what in the hell their goal was.

So when the team walked into a room full of scientists, when the building was supposed to be abandoned… all hell broke loose.

They called a tactical retreat, as they were outnumbered 20 to one and didn't know what these… wolf men were. But they were outmatched, and out gunned.

Robin _had_ made it out with them, but as they entered the bioship and headed home, he'd vanished. No one could say when or where he'd disappeared, the team, league, and Batman, searched. For months straight.

When they went back to the facility, it was gone. No trace other than a big dirt square in the ground. The whole building had vanished, and with no leads, and complete silence from the organization, Robin was simply… gone.

…

During the fight, the scientists decided that Robin was the perfect candidate for their little projects. And after their initial escape, sent the Erasers after him with a heavy tranquilizers.

He didn't even have a chance.

One minute he was running back to the bioship with the team, the next he was laying on a metal table, half naked, and being pumped full of experimental serum.

At least he got the information the Bat's wanted.

The serum he was injected with was like some autoimmune-disease from hell. It was designed to completely reconstruct his Genetic code from the inside, and had his body attacking and destroying itself to become what they wanted.

What they wanted?

Another bird kid.

Dick learned, their best experiments had escaped… years ago. They were lab grown, and had 2% of avian DNA that gave them wings.

The next six months, were worse than anything the Joker had ever done to him, or anyone else could ever hope to do to hurt the former boy wonder.

His bones, were hollowing from the inside, he'd gone blind for a while as his eyes became the next target of the serum, making his vision equal to that of a raptor, that included night vision. His organs had decided to rearrange themselves and also grow new ones, five new ones, if he'd heard the white coats correctly.

He grew taller, thinner, lost weight and gained muscle. His senses heightened, and he could feel that he was stronger, and faster. Even if he was only kept in a 4x4x4 dog crete.

It was very quickly the white coats learned to never leave him unsupervised, and to electrify his cage, because he could pick any lock and break out of any restraint. They had to put a shock collar on him, because he was so determined to run, and fight against all of them. The damn thing left a scar.

It took four, excruciatingly painful months, he was constantly being pumped full of collagen and calcium and a chemical that forced his body to yield keratin. In those four months, he grew wings. After his 'transforman' was finished, the white coats were more then happy to poke at prod at their new toy.

It was around month ten when they did that surgery. Dick figured they were trying to give him something like the canary cry. But miserably failed.

He woke up in his cage, wings sitting haphazardly behind him. He still coun't move them very well. His throat was stinging, and his collar was off. He put his hand carefully to the front of his neck and recoiled when he felt stitches there. He tried to speak, scream, yell, cry even. Only producing airy, raspy, ghostly sounds.

If you asked Dick, he'd tell you. He cried. He cried for days. Weeks. Thrashing about in his little electrified cage, singing his grey, downy feathers. Bruising his newly formed bones.

When a white coat came to get him for another experiment, he'd clawed at the man's face and arms, punching and beating him. He didn't make it far in that escape attempt. Several similar incidents followed.

It took another month, with two and three attempts a day. Guards, erasers, and white coats alike, all getting brutal scarring from their precious, Experiment Nightwing. At that point they decided he was a lost cause, and threw him into isolation.

Dick preferred this to the cage, he could stand, and he could almost stretch his new wings. At the time, he despised them. But decided to learn how to at least move them, and stay in the best shape he could. He'd wait. He knew his team probably thought he was dead by now, he didn't know how long he'd been in 'the school's' custody, but it felt like forever to him.

But he did know that Bat's would be furious and want vengance against the organization that had captured him. They'd find him.

A full month went by before he saw another person, the only change in his cell was the food they brought once a week.

When the door's bolt turned, he got into a fight stance, wing's spread in a threatening manner.

The thick door opened, a body shoved through, and slammed again. The food slot was opened and the someone spoke. "Enjoy isolation with the demon, Max," then shut again.

The girl quickly got to her feet and in a poor fighting stance, faced him.

Dick quickly dropped his fighting stance and let his wing's fall limp, still struggling on getting them folded quickly. He tilted his head, and scanned the girl.

The clothes she wore were all ragad, and dirty. A tan leather aviator jacket, a tank top, skinny jeans, and combat boots, here hair was dirty blonde, and filthy.

Slowly she dropped her hands, staring at his wings. "Who… who are you?"

Out of habit, and no contact with others for a long time, he tried to speak. But it came out in awful gasps of noiseless breath. He fell to the floor and gripped his head, obviously mad and frustrated, and sad.

"You ok?" the girl asked again.

Dick looked up at her with wide angry eyes. Harshly gesturing to his throat and wings.

The girl pressed her lips and looked around. "My name's Max, Maximum ride. I… I didn't know there was another bird kid," she said plainly.

Dick viewed her with confused eyes. Scanning her. He didn't see any wing's she looked completely normal, other than the obvious fact that she was on the run.

He pointed to his own, then pointed to her, and shook his head.

A small sparkle lit in her eyes, and out of her jacket came two enormous wings. The room became cramped with the two sets of them, so she folded them neatly on her back.

Dick nodded, though looked away.

"They said that when they threw me in here, you'd go nuts and attack. I was worried for a bit, but now I realize that you've been doing the same thing I would've done.

Dick shrugged. He lifted his head and moved his hands in a seemingly random order. Asking if she knew sign language.

"If you're asking if I know ASL, then sorry. No. I got that much though," she gave a half smile.

Dick rolled his eyes and frowned. Then got an idea. He got up and walked to the nearest concrete wall. Sticking his finger in his mouth and pulling it out covered in saliva. He wrote on the wall. 'ESCAPE?'

Max shrugged. "Just waiting for the signal,"

As if on cue, there was an explosion that shook the building. Max grinned and walked back over to the door, pulling something out of her jacket pocket. She stuck it on the door and hit a button. Then ran over to the corner were Dick was.

He listened to her count to ten as she pulled him in front of her and covered them both under her wings, creating a shield from the rubble.

She stood up and shook her wings out, dusting herself off. "Come on, let's get you out of here. Then hopefully a name, with a story."

She and Dick ran through the corridors until they hit another group of filthy children.

"MAX! You're alright!" Most of them yelled.

"Who's this?" asked a dark haired boy, his eyes garing intently at Dick. When it didn't phase him, he shrugged and looked away.

Max shrugged. "Found him," she said

Dick could handle this kids broody look of darkness, he'd been scolded by Batman, and faced the Joker. This dude, not even scary.

"Alright Gazz, Ig, where's our escape?"

A tall strawberry blonde, and a short boy, no more than eight grinned like a devil.

The shorter one bowed with a remote in one hand and a bomb like the one Max had just used in the other. "If you would follow me to the outside wall," he said.

The group ran toward the wall, and the small blond blew it up, they ran with white coats, erasers, and guards allike after them. Than the taller one grinned. "Can I do it Gaz?"

The one with the remote handed it off, and the elder pushed the button. Resulting in the explosion of the building below, and most of their pursuers to be knocked unconscious.

"Dude." The dark haired one said, grinning at the flames.

"That was awesome Gazzy," the smallest, a little girl, said.

"Alright, we've got everyone?" Max asked, looking around at the group. "Fang, Nudge, Iggy, Gazzy, Angel, and dude I found in a cell. Perfect, let's get out of here before Ari catches up."

She looked back at a group of erasers who were following them then grabbed Dick's hand and pulled him through the trees and to the edge of a cliff.

His eyes went wide and he backed up toward the trees, he began frantically signing. The other group looked utterly lost at what he was doing.

"Dude, what the heck, the Erasers are coming we've got to go!" Fang yelled. "Max, just leave him, I'm not going back because of him."

"What's wrong?" Nudge asked.

"He's never flown before," Angel said pointedly.

Dick looked at the little girl then felt the familiar buz of mind reading, he threw up mental blocks to stop her.

"He said he'd have a better chance of fighting the wolf things then throwing himself off a cliff." She elaborated.

"Dude, you have wings," gazzy said.

Dick allowed some thought to be grasped by the little girl before him, letting her explain to them.

"He said that he's never flown before," Angel said.

The sounds of the Erasers came closer and Max frowned.

"No better way then to learn on the job," she grabbed his hand and dove off the cliff dragging him with her.

The rest of the Flock followed, jumping off a cliff head first like it was a completely normal thing to do. Dick watched them open their wings and stay aloft, and they watched him fall as he tried pathetically to slow his decent.

* * *

He woke up with a killer headache, in what looked to be a mountain chale. Dick sat up slowly and looked around, he saw the other bird kids doing various things around the main level. Though noticed Max and Fang were missing.

He tried to speak, and ask if someone would explain what happened, but ultimately failed.

He was on a couch with a coffee table in front of him, he banged his fist on it getting the other fours attention. "Cool, he's awake," Gazzy said.

He almost immediately felt Angel trying to read his mind. But he threw up the walls again, after telling her one thing. Paper and pencil.

She glared at him but relented and quickly came back with a paper and a pen.

At the top he quickly scrawled 'questions'.

"What's your name?" Nudge asked.

'Richard, you can call me Dick.'

"Richard, you can call me Dick," Gazzy parroted.

'Why did you repeat it?' he wrote.

"Why did he repeat it?" Nudge said. "For Iggy, he's blind"

"My guess is that I'm blind for the same reason you're mute, the White coats wanted to 'improve' you."

Dick nodded heavily.

'Where's Max and tall dark and broody?'

Gazzy snickered. "His name's Fang, and they're arguing about what to do with you."

'What happened after Max dragged me off the Cliff?'

Nudge parroted the question to Iggy, who shrugged.

"You were trying very hard to fly, and failing." Angel said.

"Miserably," Iggy added.

Dick glared at the boy.

"I've got a question," Nudge said. "If you've got wing's how come you can't fly?"

Dick put pen to paper then froze, it would take too long to write. So instead he wrote. 'Go get Max and Fang please, I'd rather not tell this twice.'

"I've got them," Nudge said. She ran out the front door coming back with, who He could only assume, are the two leaders of the group.

'Angel, will you tell them what happened?' Dick wrote.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, but I don't like that you can stop me, its weird. Like hitting a wall."

Dick shrugged.

It took a while, but Dick went through everything that happened. What the Flock was most shocked about, was that he wasn't born and 'Avian-American' as they called themselves, only partially a joke.

"How were you captured?" Fang asked.

Dick debated it, thinking about his answer for a moment. Then wrote. 'You guys can obviously keep a secret, but will you keep mine?'

They all looked at each other, having some serious silent conversation, then Max looked back to him and smiled. "You can trust us Dick," she said.

…

It took a long time, him explaining the JL and his team, superheros in almost general. The Flock was super out of touch, but they got through it.

He didn't really want to, but he ended up doing it anyways, he asked the date.

March 18th. Somehow, it was exactly one year. Silent tears spilled down his cheeks, but a hand on his shoulder pulled him from his upcoming onslaught of dark thoughts.

"Hey, as far as we're concerned. You're already a part of the flock."

…

He taught the Flock how to fight properly, be stealthy (not that Fang needed it) how to blend into a city, survival skills they were all lacking in.

The Flock taught him how to fly, how much food to eat to not nearly die (which he almost did once), and they learned sign language for him.

Max was awesome, clever, snarky, and strong.

Fang was like his best friend and Batman rolled into one.

Gazzy and Angel looked up to him, Iggy and him loved making bombs and cooking together.

And he somehow got into fashion with Nudge.

He was almost sixteen and the oldest of the flock, now standing about an inch taller than Iggy at 6' 1", he only weighed 100 pounds.

He went on the run for them for just over a year, then he decided he wanted his family back.

Not that they were happy about it, but they made their way to Happy Harbor and found an abandoned apartment building. Deciding to go after everyone had some rest after the long flight.

That's when the explosions started, Dick was almost too happy about it. Max and Fang warned him that it was a bad idea, but he did it anyways.

Of course they were right.

…

Dick woke up in a tangle of his own feathers, He sat up stretching them out and flexing them to get his feathers to settle back onto the right places. He grabbed his backpack and pulled out the green hoodie and black jacket he'd swiped from an old thrift shop a few days back.

Yes, he'd gotten some bad habits, but that's what happens when you're on the run.

He wanted to look as much like his old self as possible, as he was thinner, taller, and not quite Robin shaped anymore.

He put on the hoodie which already had large cuts in the back for his wings, and carefully threaded them through the holes. Then he shoved his other belongings back in his pack and slipped it on. Borrowing one of the girls' hair brushes, he did his best to make it look as it used to.

The younger kids plus iggy were in the kitchen eating and cooking, and Max was sitting in the window seat with a second plate of eggs for him.

He smiled and walked over, taking a mouthful of food.

"Dick, we don't want you to leave, you're apart of our flock, our family." she said.

'And what about my family, Max? I've been away for over two years. They probably think I'm dead,' he signed. 'I want my family to meet my flock, and maybe be just a big, super avian american family.' Dick gave a lopsided smile.

Max sighed and nodded.

'Where's Fang?'

"On the roof, he's the most upset about you leaving."

Dick's smile fell and he nodded.

Him and Fang had grown close in the past year, becoming something akin to brother, or closer. Dick guessed it was because he'd spent so much time with the Dark Knight, and he was able to read him just as well, and because of their similar stealthiness. But even he knew it went deeper than that.

Max clapped her hands loudly, pulling him from his thoughts. "Alright everyone. Clean up and Clear out, meet on the roof. We leave in five."

* * *

They flew at low speeds, giving Dick time to address the situation at hand. Everyone's eyes were on him as he signed rapidly at them.

'Angel, everyone here is used to telepathy, and mind control. Do not, use your ability on anyone there. Gazzy, Iggy, please don't blow anything up. Nudge… you're well behaved most of the time. Everyone will wait just outside the motion sensors till I give the signal.'

The Flock landed in some trees and Dick gave them minor last instructions before taking off toward the mountain.

Fang was following him, he knew it. But he guessed having one member of the flock, the one who would stay the most calm and level headed in this case, wasn't a bad idea.

He landed and ran his hand along the wall until he found the panel he was looking for. He pried it open and punched in a 50 digit long code that Bat's had drilled into his head. It was an emergency code that would open the bay door even under lock down. He was the only one who knew it, and it would definitely raise alarms.

The ground lowered into the Cave's hanger and he walked in. The familiar and forgotten AI voice announcing his entrance.

* * *

Wally, and a good majority of last night's mission were getting scolded by Batman.

That lab was supposed to have information about the organization that took the original Robin from them. Bat's was still looking, they were still hoping.

Batman's current focus was on Wally right now, because not only did he let a potential lead get away. He _helped_ him get away.

"He saved my life, I didn't want to repay him by getting locked up here!" Wally yelled back.

"Then I suppose Robin's life means nothing to you," Batman growled at him.

The whole team gasped, eyes wide.

Wally's face was red and at that moment, the Bat glare did nothing to phase him.

"Robin was my best friend," he started slowly, allowing his voice to rise in anger. "And as the only member of the team to know him in and out of the mask, I want more than anyone to have him back! Maybe you're the one who doesn't care as much as you think!"

Tension was high, both heros looked about to murder the other. Batman turned, his cape catching Wally in the face and headed for the Zeta tubes.

**Batman: 02**

The team looked around, all frowning.

Then…

**Robin: B-01**

The room froze, all heads turned to Tim, the current Robin, but that wasn't even his designation. Then Wally was gone, he scoured every entrance point in under a second then came to an abrupt halt in the hanger, his sneakers leaving long skid marks on the floor.

In his old same civies, same stupid sun glasses, fluffy black hair, same stupid grin. Wally ran to his best friend at normal speeds, stopping before he was in range to touch him. He stared up at the boy, now much taller than he used to be, and froze.

His body was shaking, he held up a hand to touch Dick's face, not daring to break him if he was an allusion. But Dick moved his head into Wally's hand and pulled him into a tight bear hug.

"It's you it's… you're really you… Areyou,you?Dickisthatreallyyou?"

The boy just took off his sunglasses and smiled for all the world was worth.

"You're you." he said. Both boys had tears running down their faces. A storm of running footsteps came down the hall, all stopping as Wally had when they saw their friend.

"Guys, it's him, he's really home!" Wally yelled.

The original team members came forward, and the other teammates confused as hell.

Kaldur stepped forward, holding out his hand for him to shake. Dick shook his head, took his hand then pulled him into a hug.

Artemis then marched forward and slapped him across the face. "That's for making us worry!" She yelled, then hugged him tightly. "Don't ever do that again."

Megan came and hugged him, and when Dick looked at Super Boy, the clone looked murderous. Dick saw were his eyes were, and pulled his hood around the scars on his neck, shaking his head and eyes pleading with him not to say anything.

It didn't look like he was going to listen, but was tackled from the side as Zatanna hugged him as tightly as she possibly could.

"You're home, you're safe," She said, tears flowing. They were all crying, all except Superboy.

"Where have you been? It's been over two years. Who took you?" Wally asked holding Dick at arms length, looking him over, and asking him questions. "You've gotten so tall, so thin…"

Superboy practically shoved Wally aside and glared hard at Dick. "What did they do to you?" He said, pissed off as ever.

Dick frantically shook his head, knowing how fast SB's temper used to get out of control.

"No Robin," SB said. He grabbed his collar and pulled it away from his neck to show the intense scaring and electrical burns, as well as the scars from the scalpel that took away his ability to speak. "What did they do to you?"

The rest of his team gasped, worried and pissed off faces looked at him and around him. Dick glanced slightly to the corner where the shadows hid his brother.

"Do you want me to tell them?" Fang asked.

Every member of the room got into a fight stance, Artemis had her crossbow drawn, and all manor of other weapons pointed to the corner. Dick stood panicked in front of said corner, holding his arms out for them to stop.

As soon as everyone semi relaxed, Dick looked back at the corner, and a tall, dark haired, dark eyed boy came out, hands in his jacket pockets.

"Who are you?" Various members of the team growled.

Fang held up his hands in a calming gesture, and smiled at Dick. 'you were right, they are paranoid,' he signed.

He looked at everyone, and took a deep breath. "My name is Fang, me and my… well, my flock. We found…" Fang looked at Dick and signed a question. 'Robin or Dick?'

'Robin.' Dick replied.

Fang nodded and continued. "We found Robin in one of the School's facilities, he'd been experimented on for approximately a year when we found him, and in making our escape, freed him as well. We've never been on good terms with the School, so for the past year we've been on the run."

The younger Flock member looked at the older. 'Do you want me to tell them you're mute?' he signed.

'Yes please.' He replied.

The new Robin already had it, Batman had taught them both sign language.

"They _what_?!" He growled.

"In an attempt to enhance Robin's vocal chords, they made him mute." Fang said calmly, but his eyes burned with hatred.

Dick frowned and walked closer to his friends and family, lifting his chin and pulling his hood away, so they could see the scar in front of his trachea.

The boys looked like they wanted to murder the White Coats who did this, and so did Artemis. The other girls looked pained by this, and Ma'gan began crying again.

Dick tapped Fang's shoulder, asking him to translate out loud for him.

"Robin wants to say something, I'm going to translate for you." Fang said. He nodded at Dick and began.

"Guys, it's ok. I've learned to live with it. But there's a lot of stuff that you don't understand yet. And I want to wait to tell you. Because I'm worried you'll think I'm a freak, but I'm not. And what's happened to me isn't entirely all bad. But I want you to meet my flock."

Questions went around the room about 'his flock', because that's weird.

Dick pulled out a small square device and clicked the singular button on it, it lit up and he then slipped it back in his pocket. He turned to Fang and signed.

'I don't know if I should tell them yet,' he frowned.

'From what you've told us, you'll be just fine. Just because you've got…'

Dick grabbed Fang's hands and stopped him from signing. Whipping his head toward Tim who was staring at them both cautiously.

'He knows ASL,' Dick signed, and Fang nodded.

Another set of footsteps came running in and Red Arrow smashed into his sorta younger brother. "Robin! You're alive!"

"Yeah, and we're planning a slaughter of that stupid organization that took him," Connor said.

Fang grinned and nodded at the sentiment.

"Fang, was it?" Kaldur asked. "You have my gratitude for bringing our teammate back to us."

"Of course," Fang nodded. He looked to Dick and signed. 'What's the Stiff's name?'

Dick rolled his eyes. 'Kaldur/Aqualad,' Dick finger spelled. 'You should really just ask for names.'

Fang shrugged.

"So… Flock?" Artemis asked.

"They'll be here in a second," Fang said.

'Why don't you head into the lounge, we'll meet you in there,' Dick signed.

Fang translated for him, and the team nodded and left, except Wally.

"I'm not leaving, Dick." He said.

"You know who he is?"

'He's the only one who does, besides Batman,' Dick signed.

Fang nodded.

"Sooo… who are you?"

"I told you, my name's Fang."

"I'm Wally, AKA Kid Flash."

Fang nodded again.

Wally looked at Dick. "Dude, you hang out with him?"

Dick gave a breathy, non-existent laugh, smiled, and shrugged.

"I guess it would make sense, seeing as you worked with the Dark Knight," Wally said.

Dick signed, and Fang spoke.

"The dark night has nothing on Fang when it comes to pure angst and broodiness… Really Dick?"

'Tell me I'm wrong.'

Voices from the open bay door came and the three boys turned to see who was there.

Max, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel all walked down the ramp into the hanger, Max arguing with Angel. "You heard Dick, no telepathy, whatsoever. And Nudge, no you can't ask them who designs their costumes. I don't care how much of a 'fashion faux pas' they are."

Wally snickered and Dick ran up to them, signing frantically.

'OMG thank batman you're here. I've been dying!'

"Why are you dying?" Gazzy asked.

"He's nervous for them to find out, Gas man," Iggy said.

"Why, we're awesome!" He replied.

"Where is everyone?"

'They're waiting in the lounge, I figure this will be easier in there, it's got more space, and couches.'

The Flock nodded and looked to Wally.

"This the traffic cone?" Max asked with a grin.

"I resent that," Wally yelled.

'Yeah, that's the traffic cone.'

* * *

The Flock plus Wally walked back to the lounge in talkative silence, hands flying in conversation.

Wally grunted loudly and glarred. "I have no clue what you're saying!"

"That's kinda the point," Max smiled.

"Don't feel bad Wally, I'm blind. And I _never_ know what Dick's saying."

"Blind?"

Wally put his hand in front of Iggy's face, and waved it around. The taller blonde grabbed his wrist and shoved it away.

"Blind, not stupid."

"Noted," Wally said.

They entered to lounge were everyone was sitting and standing around, waiting to meet Dick's 'flock'.

He took a breath and walked in, Wally zipped passed, sitting next to Artemis.

"Everyone," Max said, talking for Dick. "This is my family."

'I'll let them introduce themselves,' he signed.

Max stepped forward. "My names Max, I'm 14, leader of the Flock."

"Fang, 14, alternate leader of the Flock."

"I'm Iggy, 14, blind, the same way Dick lost his voice."

"Nudge, I'm 11."

"Gazzy, I'm eight."

"I'm Angel, and I'm six."

"Your family is a bunch of little kids?" Red asked.

'You want to fight a six year old that can take down those freaky wolf men you couldn't touch?' Dick signed.

"What?" Artemis asked.

"He said 'Do you want to fight a six year old that can take down those freaky wolf men you couldn't touch'," Nudge helpfully translated with a smile.

"You?" Connor said, looking at Angel.

"Yes me, and don't get me started on the bombs my brother and Iggy make, our first safe house didn't stand a chance," she said as a cute six year old. But she really freaked the others out.

"Needless to say, we aren't normal kids," Iggy said.

**Batman: 02**

Dick's head perked up, and started slowly backing up. Max grabbed his shoulders from behind, turned him around and pulled his jacket more snug around his shoulders. Then signed to him. 'If he feels your back, he's going to feel your wings. Tuck them tight.'

Dick nodded then turned back around, he felt Max grab at the trim of his jacket, and she shoved a small feather in her pocket. He signed a thanks then faced the man that taught him to be Robin.

They both ran toward each other, colliding and crumbling to the floor.

"Dick, you're alive. You're safe." The boy in his arms was crying, and nodding. "Where have you been? Who took you? It's been two years." His eyes flashed up to the group of kids he'd never seen before. And got angry. He pulled the boy behind him and growled. "Who are you?"

Dick scrambled out from behind him, and stood protectively in between them. Then began signing.

'Batman, their my family. They saved me from the school. They're the reason I'm still alive. Back off.'

"Dick, why are you signing?" Batman asked. "Are… You're taller."

'I'm signing, because I'm mute.'

A flurry of emotion crossed Batman's face, anger and sadness primarily. He pulled Dick back into a hug. "We'll get the people who… who did this," Batman paused.

Dick looked back at Max. 'He felt your back?'

The mute Robin nodded and took a step back.

Batman narrowed his eyes and lunged, grabbing the collar of Dick's top jacket. The former boy wonder threw his mentor's hand away and did a back handspring away. He moved closer to the Flock.

'Don't touch my jacket,' he signed.

"Uh, yeah, no. We don't like it when people try and take our jackets," Max said calmly, gesturing to her own, and the rest of the Flock, all wearing jackets.

"What's so important about the jackets?" Zatanna asked.

'Think of them like a hero's mask,' Dick signed, Fang parroted for him.

Wally, the evil imp, grinned then shouted. "$20 bucks to whoever gets Robin's jacket."

The Flock froze, Batman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, and Fang was trying desperately to get Dick to calm down, as his team smiled and rushed forward.

Fang nodded to his family and frantically yelled. "Flock around the owl!"

The five of them sprang into action, surrounding Dick as the rest of the team good naturedly tried to get Dick's jacket.

Dick signed for his Flock not to hurt them, and hoped the team wouldn't hurt the flock.

It was a flurry of arms, legs and super abilities tossed into a pile, but in the end, Wally got the Jacket off. "HAha! I got it!" He yelled. "Someone owes me twenty bucks!"

"Someone owes you, a good smack upside the head!" Max yelled. "Dick didn't want it off yet!"

Dick stared at his friends from behind the flock, his wing's pressed tight to his back, and his back facing the wall.

"What's happening?" Iggy asked.

Gazzy leaned his way and whispered. "They got Dick's top jacket off."

"That's not very nice," Nudge said. "He didn't do anything to you."

Angel's eyes narrowed, and Dick saw the look in her eyes. He slapped the concrete floor to get her attention then glared at her. 'Don't even think about it,' he signed.

"Even if they deserve it?" she whined.

'Even if they deserve it, Angel.' Instead of signing her name, Dick did the sign for devil, the girl rolled her eyes and giggled. "You're silly."

"Dick, don't call the demon spawn, the devil, it only goes to her head," Fang said, the older boy only shrugged.

Dick stood and walked forward, tapping Max's cheek and pointing at the group, she nodded. "You guys suck," Max translated. She looked at Dick and laughed. "I could've said that all on my own dude."

"Sorry dude, you're right." Wally rolled his eyes and sped up to Dick almost handing him his jacket before stopping. He looked at the inside and noticed several small, grey and black feathers.

Dick tried to take it out of his hands, but the speedster was too fast. "What do we have here?" He said smiling.

"What is it, Wally?" Batman asked.

Wally took a larger feather in his fingers and twirled it around, he smiled then tossed the jacket back to Dick. "Thanks for saving me from being a street pancake," he said.

Dick touched his hand to his chin, then moved it forward. The sign the whole team had watched the night before.

They all gasped in realization, and Kaldur stepped forward. "You were the one last night? Who caught Kid Flash?"

Dick gave a half smile, half frown and nodded.

Showing no decorum at all, Superboy said. "You have wings?"

Dick smiled and nodded.

"I'm sorry, wings?" Batman said. "Why was this not in the debriefing?"

"We told you, he _flew_ away." Artemis said, shrugging.

Batman sighed and pinched his nose again, shaking his head. "Dick, who are these people?"

'This is my Flock,' He signed. The others introduced themselves again.

"On a different note," Max said. "Keep Iggy and Gazzy away from anything that can be turned into a bomb."

Batman opened his mouth to say something, but Dick just shook his head. 'It's fine, I'll keep an eye on them. Besides, I'm the one who really leads the flock.' he smiled.

"Are not," Max said.

Fang shrugged. "He kinda does."

"We're obviously missing something, as we don't know sign language, but… Wings?" Artemis said.

Dick gave out a ghostly sigh, and shrugged his shoulders as he stepped forward. Spreading out his full 15 and a half foot wingspan. Mostly black, but they greyed as they got to the tips of his large feathers.

"Flock… Birds, wings," Wally said slowly. "I get it," he snapped with a smile.

Dick rolled his eyes, unimpressed, then folded his wings, still letting them show.

"Do the rest of you have wings?" Ma'gan asked.

The Flock nodded and shrugged off their jackets, all spreading their various wing's differing in size and color.

"Now that we've got that out of the way…" Max said, translating for Dick. Who stepped forward and absolutely piledrived his friend to the floor by bashing him with his wing. The speedster moaned from the ground, and Dick threw his black jacket on his face. "Don't take things that aren't yours, Kid Speedy."

The Flock and several team members laughed at him, as Dick helped him up.

He looked at Batman and signed. 'Would you have Ma'gan link us up, I'm going to need to talk for this next part.'

Batman looked at the martin girl. "Miss M, establish a telepathic link."

Dick felt the familiar buz, and the Flock mentioned it felt weird, but as soon as it reached Angel, the girl squealed and forced her presence away.

"Glech, I don't like that," she said.

"Maybe now you won't invade other people's heads as often, will you?" Iggy said.

Angel shook her head then said. "I'm shaking my head, Igs."

"_I can talk, I can talk… sort of." _Dick said across the link.

"_We've missed you too, __**Dick**__." _Ma'gan said.

"_They were supposed to call me Robin, oh well. I'm pretty sure I'm dead to the public anyways, ain't that right Batman?_"

The man only nodded in response.

"_Alright then, that organization that the league knows nothing about… prepare to know a lot about it, and hate it too._

"_First off, it's called the School, they take kids, either test tube grown or kidnapped, and they experiment on them with animal DNA, case in point, The Flock. 2% Avian DNA, they were born with it, I was injected with a serum that completely tore me apart and put me back together from the inside out."_

"_What do you mean by that?" _Batman asked.

"_My bones are hollow, I have air sacs so I can breathe at high altitudes, my eyes are sharper. I'm now 6' 1", a 100 pounds. And oh yeah, I have wings!"_

Batman nodded, "_Continue."_

"_The school's been operating for over 20 years," _Max said. "_The Flock and I were some of their first successful experiments."_

"_What about those freaky wolf things we ran into two years ago?" _Wally asked.

"_Erasers," Fang grit._

"_Erasers are basically werewolves, but they can control what they look like." Iggy added._

"_They're blood thirsty, hunters with only one goal," _Fang said. "_Erase."_

Max took it from there. "_They do what the school tells them, and for the past… I lose count, for a lot of years their job has been to find and kill/bring us back to their labs. Last year, they succeeded."_

"_Good thing too, otherwise I'd still be in isolation."_ Dick said.

Batman nodded. "_Looks like you completed your mission. Once you're settled I want a full report of the School and it's inner workings." _he looked at the Flock and frowned.

He turned to Dick and spoke out loud. "Dick, ya im ne doveryayu. Skazhi im, chtoby uyti, seychas."

Dick narrowed his eyes, then turned to the flock. 'He doesn't trust you, he wants me to tell you to leave.' He looked back at Batman. 'That's not happening.'

"That's ok Mr. Batman, we didn't want to stay anyways." Gazy said with a dangerous glare, handling a bomb no one knows where it came from. Dick quickly swiped it from the younger boy.

"Here's the thing Batman," Max began. "We're not leaving."

"Dick's apart of our flock," Fang added.

"And I didn't learn sign language for nothing," Iggy added. "Do you know how hard it is to learn sign language when you're blind!?"

Wally laughed at that.

'They're my family now, Bruce. I'm not going to abandon them, I came back because I didn't want to abandon you either.'

"Dick, I don't know them, facial recognition doesn't know them, You only met them a year ago, do you even know them? I don't trust them and I want them out of this base. I don't want to see them again."

Next thing Batman knew, he was on the ground his former protege being held back by Max and Fang, the bird wheezing and crying, wing's flared and beating around.

He was talking, screaming, his voice a horrid mixture of air and rasping vocal chords.

Dick ripped his arms from his Max and Fang's grasps, then turned and signed something then ran toward the hanger, Wally running after him.

"Uh… He said 'I'll be back tomorrow'. And 'don't screw it up'." Max said.

"Yeah, we're going to go…" Iggy said, the six of them took off toward Dick, once outside took to the air, following the form of their friend across the horizon.

"Think that might have been a bit harsh, Batman?" Artemis asked.

"I think those six are a security threat," he replied.

"Do you want Dick to leave?" Ma'gan asked.

"From what it looks, those birds Flock together. I do not think it was wise to question their integrity." Kaldur added. "Nor Dick's judgement."

"We're going to go talk to him, we'll be back tomorrow," Connor said. "And like he said, don't screw it up."

"Let's go team," Kaldur said.

The original team followed him to the hanger, and they left to find their bird.

* * *

Dick perched on a high tree branch overlooking the ocean. He felt a small burst of wind and his speedster friend was in the tree with him.

"Screw Batman, he can't take us all. He can fight us if he doesn't want your friends around," Wally said. He gave his goofy smile to his younger friend. The redhead was clinging to the trees trunk, sitting carefully on the thin branch. He glanced cautiously down at the ground.

Dick rolled his eyes then pointed to a nearby cliff face, then jumped out of the tree. Spreading his massive wings and flying quickly to the rocks. Once he landed he saw KF run toward him, appearing next to him.

'I missed you.'

Wally frowned. "Sorry, I… I understand that."

'I know. It doesn't make it any less true.' He signed in vain. Shrugging.

An ocean breeze blew past them, Dick grinned and closed his eyes, flaring his wings and letting his feathers ruffle in the wind.

"Hey Dick, could I touch them?"

'My wing's?'

At Wally's confused face, Dick crouched down and drew his finger through the sand. 'You want to touch my wings?' He looked up at his friend with a question on his face.

"I mean, it's a weird question, and I don't have to…"

Dick threw a hand full of pebbles at his friend, getting him to shut up. 'You can touch them, it's not weird.' he grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him to sit next to him. Then, outstretching one of his wings, and placed it in Wally's lap.

Gently, the boy ran his fingers down the primary feathers, gawking purely at how soft they were.

Dick laughed and scribbled in the sand again. 'OWL', he said.

"Bet you're pretty stealthy than, it fits," Wally said. He ran his hand along the top of his wing and the bone and muscle.

"How are you only 100 pounds? These things are massive!"

Dick gave a soundless laugh. 'My bones are hollow, and my wings over 15 feet,' he wrote in the dirt.

"That's sick,"

"Do they… feel weird?"

'They did at first, but now it's just like another limb. Except I can do cool things with them.' Dick smiled then cleared the sand.

They fell into a comfortable silence, Dick moved his wing and wrapped it around the speedster, pulling him closer.

The bioship flew overhead, landing in a small clearing nearby. Kaldur, Ma'gan, Connor, and Artemis stepped out.

"Hey Dick," Artemis said.

'Hey Artemis,' he wrote in the sand.

"Where's your uh, flock?" Connor asked.

Dick smiled and wrote in the sand. 'They think they're being stealthy,' then shrugged. Eyes gesturing to the forest he'd just left. Drawing an arrow pointing to where they were.

He felt the telepathic link then mentally sighed. "_They aren't staying. They can't, not with the school still hot on their feathers, I shouldn't really even stay."_

"_Why does the School want them?"_ Kaldur asked.

"_They were some of their first successful experiments, they want them back so they can replicate them. Even If I'm proof that they don't need them for that. No one should go through what happened to me, no one else needs to have their body reconstruct itself."_

Dick folded his wings, and let them rest behind his back.

"_I came back hoping that Batman and the league would help me, help them, take down the School, get rid of all the erasers. They have the right kind of power that the Flock doesn't"_

"_What's that_?" Ma'gan asked.

"_We lack the influence and number the league has, but we have the knowledge, and power."_

"_Power? Sorry, but you're all bean pole twigs,_" Artemis scoffed.

Dick rolled his eyes and stood up, turning to Connor. "_Punch me, don't hold back."_

"_What?"_

"_Come on, just do it."_ He said, getting into a fight stance.

Connor looked confused but complied, throwing a strong right hook.

All eyes were wide as the half Kryptonian Clone found his hand gripped in Dick's, his punch completely stopped.

"_Any one of you in a fight against any-one member of the flock, right now. I'd bet on my Flock."_

"_Even the little one, Angel?" _Ma'gan asked.

"_Especially Angel, unless you're anticipating her telepathic and mind control abilities. Out of everyone, she's the wild card."_

"_What about everyone else?" Kaldur asked._

"_Max is the primary leader, she's the strongest. Fang is like… a brick wall. Emotionally and physically, but super fast. Iggy, just because he's blind, doesn't mean he can't get around, or fight. Nudge, eh, she's iffy. Gazzy could be locked in a cell with some jello and floss and he'd find a way to make it explode. He's always carrying bombs, and no one ever knows where he pulls them from._

"_All in all, we're a very dangerous group."_

"_I think we can convince Batman to bring down the School. And to allow your Flock to stay."_

"_Thanks Kaldur. Here's the thing, they aren't planning on staying. But if we can take down the school, they probably will. If not, I'm going with them."_

Dick ruffled his wings and stretched them straight up. Not long after, the Flock could be seen taking flight toward them. Landing minutes later. He began signing to his group, having a quick but lengthy conversation.

Max stepped forward. "Dick will be back tomorrow, he wants to talk with Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, and Aquaman. As well as any of the other League leaders, he may not know about. He said that if Batman isn't on board with his plan, he will fight the man, and he will lose."

Eyes wide, his teammates nodded. "Since when did you give Batman ultimatums?" connor asked.

He signed to Fang, who repeated it out loud. "Since I realized Gotham's villains are kind compared to the White Coats. At least Joker had the decency to try and put me out of my misery."

The team stood staring at Dick, his face dark. He walked to the edge of the cliff, the Flock following, then he just… let himself fall. The other bird kids got a running start before taking off, all following Dick

Artemis pulled out her crossbow and aimed carefully at Dick, firing a tracer tag at him. The boy in question turned and caught it out of the air, smiling and shaking his head at Artemis, he broke the tip off and put it in his pocket, dropping the shaft above her.

The flock flew in a fabulous display of formation, disappearing into the clouds and heading back to the apartment.

* * *

'Please, guys. Give me the chance to bring down the school. Then we don't have to keep running.'

"If Batman doesn't trust us, there's no way the other leaguers will," Max said.

"And what happened to you staying?" Fang asked.

Dick rubbed the back of his neck. 'My plan all along was to get it shut down so we could all stop running. They're not just after you now, they're after me too.'

"Well we all knew that," Gazzy said.

"Bar us and you're their greatest achievement," Max said.

'I know I'll be able to convince the league. Batman's trust is optional where I'm concerned. With our combined intel, and our ability to fight against, and beat the erasers, the rest of the league will follow.'

"And if they don't?" Nudge asked.

'They will, the School is doing human experimentation, this is now the big leagues. Screw the terrorists and world conquerors, this is where it gets personal.'

"I'm in," Max said. "If there's any chance that we don't have to be on the run anymore, and we can get the rest of those kids freed."

"I'm not sure what I'm agreeing to, but I'm in." Iggy said.

"I'm in," Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel said.

Fang rolled his eyes, but put his hand on the pile that had formed. "I'm in, but if we die, it's your fault Dick."

'Asterous,' He finger spelled.

* * *

Dick entered through the hanger door again. His hair now back to it's messy, wind blown look, and falling in his eyes, he was wearing his shredded t-shirt. Exposing his scars, and toned body. Loose jeans around his waist, with a pair of sneakers. His upper back almost entirely exposed, showing where the feathered limbs were attached. He marched through the cave to the training room like he had a vendetta.

The members of the team wouldn't have recognized him if not for his large wings, they were held high and proud as he made his strides.

He entered the room where several league members were present. Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, and Superman.

As he entered he felt Manhunter's telepathy reach him.

Batman scowled at his former protege, eyeing him with distaste. "Dick, since when do you dress like that?"

Dick returned the glare, then gave a harsh smile. "_Well you know the white uniforms I wore as an experiment weren't very me. I've also been living on the run, and I only wear what I can steel."_

"Steel?" Superman raised an eyebrow.

"_Oh for hell's sake, we are __**not**_ _getting into a conversation about the morality of what it takes to survive on the run."_

"Kid's got a point," Green Arrow said.

"Dick, I'd like to talk to you when this is…"

"_We also are not going to talk about my trauma," _Dick said, holding up his hand.

"Then I believe we should get to the topic you have called us here for," Man hunter said.

"_Thank you. And Batman, this is how I dress, by choice."_

Batman glarred, and he glared hard.

"_The reason I've called you here, is because I need your help. The real reason I came back with my Flock. They've been on the run for the past four years, the past two they have been actively chased and hunted._

"_Last year, they rescued me from one of the School's labs, in doing so, they decided to take me in and make me apart of their Flock. They taught me how to survive as… what I am now. Taught me how to fly. I've been on the run with them for the past year as the School is now hunting me as well."_

"Are you going to get to the reason?" Green Arrow asked.

"_I'm giving you important background_." Dick rolled his eyes. "_We allone don't have the tools to get the school shut down, and the Justice League alone, doesn't have the knowledge or power to take them down._

"_If we combined our efforts, the School would crumble. The Flock could finally settle down, be safe and have peace of mind. That's why I called you here. To ask for your help, and make a plan."_

"And if we say no?" Batman asked.

"_Oh, did the team not tell you?" _Dick asked, a dark gleam in his icy eyes. "_If you refuse, I fight you, and you'll lose, miserably. Not that it would change your mind, but I would at least get to beat you senseless for being so cruel to my Flock._"

"You had an ultimatum prepared?" Black Canary asked, her face showing shock and disbelief.

"_Your _flock?" Superman said.

"_Yes Black Canary, I thought ahead. And Superman, they are my family, I've protected them from a number of things, so yes, they are __**my**_ _flock."_

"And it was this… School, that made you mute?" Manhunter asked.

"_After the initial serum worked and my DNA was changed. They were attempting to give me something similar to your Canary Cry, but instead they made me mute. Something similar happened with a member of my Flock. They were trying to enhance Iggy's night vision, but they made him blind."_

"They… experimented on you?" Superman asked, anger starting to show.

"_Has Batman not told you what we revealed about the School?"_

"No, he didn't tell us much of anything." Green Arrow said.

"_The schools whole purpose is to experiment with human and animal DNA. They treat the beings there like animals, they kept me in a 4x4x4 cage, they put a shock collar on me. I saw them put other kids down because they didn't take to the DNA administered._

"_The Flock was grown in test tubes, for crying out loud. They don't care about how much you scream and cry, or if the experiments are humane. I'd rather spend a year with a joker then another day the White Coats."_

"I think we should go for it, if these things are really happening, we need to put a stop to them." Superman said.

"I agree," Canary said.

"I do as well," Manhunter said.

"We should make plans imiediatly," Green Arrow added.

"No."

All heads turned and glared, everyone with a voice yelled. "What?"

"I said no. If Dick wants this so bad, he's going to have to fight me and win."

"Batman, that's uncalled for an unfair. This is something that concerns more people then just Dick and his new friends." Black Canary said.

"Your judgement is…"

"_No, if he wants to set rules. I'll play by them. But this is the last time. Like I said before, I'm on the run with them for a reason. And if you don't help me take them down, I'm leaving with my Flock, and I won't be coming back."_

"Dick, you've only just…"

"_No, Black Canary. I'll fight him. And I'll win."_

The heroes moved off the training floor and BC walked with the winged boy.

"How can you be so sure you'll win, Dick?" She asked.

"_Because for him, it's about his pride. For me, it's for my family, and my life. He also has never fought me like this."_

BC nodded, and Batman and Dick stepped on the mat, then the fight began.

The first thing Dick did as Batman lunged for him was to take his utility belt, then strung it over his shoulder. Batman scowled at him.

Then, as Batman lunged again, Dick spread his wings, and with a powerful beat he was in the air. "How is this a fair fight?" Batman asked.

'It never was, and I never expected it to be,' Dick signed.

The younger began viciously assaulting the older with his own weapons from the air. Batman tried his best to dodge them, but after several minutes he began to slow. And Dick began hitting his mark more and more.

After a while, Dick landed. His mentour's uniform torn, singed, and shredded in all manor of ways, as was the skin underneath and his face.

'Had enough?'

"I will not lose to the one I taught," Batman growled.

Dick narrowed his eyes and spread his wings and ran forward, beginning an endless assault of battery against the one who had trained him. He used his wings instead of his fists, he felt for sure they'd be bruised, but didn't mind it.

Sooner than the other Leaguers thought, Batman was beaten nearly unconscious.

Dick stood with his shoulders squared, his wing's pulled back, and even with his meager clothing and scraggly appearance, he looked regal.

"_I've learned, and you've stayed the same in your bitter, prideful ways. You expect people to follow you without question because you're __**The Batman**_ _but I've learned to think for myself, without you_."

Batman looked up from the ground, struggling to stand. "So what are you now? You're not Robin, are you still going to be a hero? Some bird freak?"

"_My name is Nightwing, and I do believe we have some plans to make."_

* * *

The newly dubbed Nightwing stood at the head of a room full of heros, still in his choice civies. The people behind him were his flock, to the right. And his team, to the left. In front of him, was every leaguer and protege they could find.

Martian Manhunter was broadcasting Dick's voice into their heads as he explained things.

"_You've all been briefed on the School, and the date to attack is set. Two years ago, my team and I were pitifully outmatched, this is an enemy you know nothing about. So for the next week you will be training under me, and my Flock._

"_Max_," as he said her name she stepped forward. "_She will be working with anyone not physically attacking, giving them all the information they'll need to guide everyone from base. She'll also informing everyone on basics you'll need to know about the School."_

"_Iggy and Gazzy, anyone who works in science will be lead by them, you'll be the bomb squad. I don't care if their methods are unorthodox, these boys are in charge._

"_Nudge will be leading a small group of our best hackers, your primary goal is to download and destroy all existing data from all of the labs' computers._

"_Everyone will be working with Fang. You thought Black Canary was hard to beat? Well, meet your worst nightmare. He will be instructing everyone on the fighting patterns of Erasers and the security guards, and making sure you wont end up dead and gutted outside the school labs._

"_I will be attending all groups to make sure you are progressing properly, and that: one, the flock is on task," He looked at the younger members. "And two, that you are following your assigned leader._

"_Any questions?"_

Tim's hand went into the air, and Nightwing signed for him to ask.

"Why aren't I on the hacking team?"

"_Because you'll be on the stealth team,"_ he said.

"You didn't say anything about a stealth team," Manhunter said.

"_That's because none of you are going to be happy about who's in charge."_ He sighed then gestured for the cute six year old to walk forward. "_Any of you assigned to the stealth team will be led by Angel, your assigned task is to free any and all experiments. They are not to be released directly. Some of them will need to be detained, but the majority will need medical attention, and to be properly introduced into society. _

"_There will be a carrier jet at each of the three labs specifically for transporting these beings. If they are Erasers, do not attempt to free or rescue. The scientists and doctors, if you could even call them that, are to be made unconscious and taken into custody, do your best to not let any get away._

"_Any __**more**_ _questions?"_

"You did not just put a six year old girl in charge of me!" Flash yelled.

"_No, I did, Black lighting too." _He grinned. "Now, let's get to work."

* * *

Training and preparing went seamlessly, except for the part where the adults didn't like kids bossing them around.

Under the bomb squad, several of the elder supers demanded that the bombs they were constructing, Iggy and Gazzy's design, would never work. So the boy's proposed a challenge, Gazzy against their best scientist, whoever's bomb performed better would be able to lead the group. Considering all the boy's normally had to work with was trash and common household items, and were now given actual explosive materials… They won by a literal landslide.

…

Several heavy hitters, including Wonder Woman, told Fang that his fighting style that he was teaching was useless, and wouldn't do anything. So he challenged them each to one on one fights, and won. Beating Black Canary, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Superboy, Flash, and two Green Lanterns.

When the members who were beat asked Dick how he was so skilled he shrugged and signed something before walking away. They turned back to Fang for a translation. "Dick was the one who trained me, Batman trained Dick, and Batman has the knowledge to beat everyone on the League."

…

Tim, who Nightwing moved after deciding he couldn't listen to him complain anymore, was moved to the hacking team. When he began criticizing Nudge for her lack of knowledge of computers, she challenged him to a hacking competition. It took Tim 53 seconds to hack the Star Labs main frame, when he declared 'done'. He looked over to Nudge sitting relaxed in her seat.

She'd hacked it in the first 20 seconds, no one questioned her again.

…

The leaguers assigned under Max yelled at her one too many times that she didn't have enough information. When she lost it, she screamed at them about everything the white coats did to her, and 'why would I want to stick around to get _information_?!'

Needless to say, they didn't bug her about it again.

…

Dick had given explicit orders to Angel not to use mind control on her team. And though none of the Leaguers gave her grief, they had all come up to him expressing they were slightly concerned about the mental stability of the sadistic six-year-old.

He never replied, just pressed his lips with wide eyes, nodded, and walked away.

…

After the initial power struggles, everything went smoothly, the plan was set, everything prepared.

* * *

As the League simultaneously attacked the three remaining branches, everything went perfectly as planned.

Stealth teams got all of the prisoners out and loaded onto the cargo jet, taking them back to the cave for medical attention.

Fang's team, plus Nightwing and Max, rendered all enemies unconscious and they were taken to a special facility to be permanently detained.

Nudge and her team got all the information and destroyed the files on their systems.

And all three bomb squads used the oddly made, but well designed bombs to completely decimate the buildings, but nothing surrounding them. Using the building's centralized electricity as the detonator, and causing all electrical ports to be their own bombs. The buildings were completely demolished.

Iggy almost cried because he wasn't able to see it.

* * *

On the top of mount justice, Dick sat with the Flock, staring across the horizon.

'So, are we going to stay? The league could use some help with the other kids.' He signed.

"What are you talking about, you don't need to come with us anymore. You don't have to run," Gazzy said.

'And you don't need to run either," he replied.

"And stay here?" Max asked.

"And be heroes?" Fang added.

'Why not?'

"As much as we like showing up adults, and beating up the school… We've never stayed in one place for a long time, I don't know… Just seems too…"

"Normal," Max supplied.

"I think it would be awesome," Nudge said. "I could design hero costumes!"

'You could design mine, Nudge.'

"Ok, quick question… you chose your new hero name, based off of your experimentation tag?" Angel asked.

'It fit,' he shrugged.

"You know what, I think it would be fun to try out the hero thing. I liked seeing their faces when I totally demolished a goddess," Fang smirked.

'No one realizes fighting a bird kid is a whole different thing than normal fighting.'

"I liked making _real_ bombs. With _real_ explosives." Gazzy grinned.

"Me too," Iggy added.

"It was funny, they tried to make me feel better about my trauma," Max laughed.

'Someone tried to get you to talk about your feelings?!'

"Bet that went well," Fang scoffed.

Max punched him in the shoulder, and he almost fell off the ledge they were perched on.

The flock looked at one another for a while, sitting in a comfortable silence.

"Alright Dick, we'll stay," Max said getting to her feet and stretching her wings. "_After, _you admit I'm the leader of the flock," she grinned.

'Looks like we're not staying,' Dick signed. 'Race you to Disney world?'

"You're on," Fang grinned.

'I'll admit it in a week, Max. Until then, I'm leader.'

Max rolled her eyes, but nodded.

One by one, the group jumped off the top of the mountain, heading south toward Florida.

About a month later, they arrived back at the cave, having gone all over the east coast.

They each took on a bird themed name and donned masks. Dick never admitted Max as the leader, and still several years later, lead as the head of Bludhaven's group of vigilantes; The Flock.

* * *

Word Count: 12,533

**Notes I felt should be made post story:** I personally never liked Angel, I see her as a freaky sadistic child who has too much power, and no one to keep her in check.

For now this will remain a one shot, unless my brain get's a stroke of genius, and wants to deal with a 10+ person dialog... (I just thought about it) This will remain a one shot.


End file.
